wait – there was a south korean psychedelic pop scene?

By rich on 29 Feb 2008 at 12:00 am

You’d be amazed. Wait till I start posting Kim Choo Ja tracks.

By fraser on 29 Feb 2008 at 7:49 am

That IS very Francoise Hardy. Nice.

I’d just arrived in South Korea in 1996 in a small city called Iksan and was walking through the main market when I heard the most outrageous wailing, yelping, psychedelic, sitaar fuelled, driving rock ‘n’ roll song coming out of a tape cassette player. It was just playing in a small wool shop and the sounds spread down the market alleyway. I went back to the shop to try and find out what the track was, but having only been in Korea a couple of weeks I lacked the requisite lingual skills.

I’ll never hear it again – unless it just so happens to be one of your Kim Choo Ja tracks – but it left a very lasting impression and was deffo not of this time. So, in answer to Rich, I’d say yeah, there was a Korean psychedelic scene consisting of at at least two very good tracks.

By Graham on 29 Feb 2008 at 8:23 am

What a nice guitar bit

By rhys on 29 Feb 2008 at 11:35 am

Frazer, cool stuff! You’re music picks are alwais super cool,

ciao

g.

By Gianluca on 29 Feb 2008 at 3:22 pm

I’m confused Fras, didn’t you post this recently or did I:

a) dream it (word for word).
b) read it VERY recently while drunk but don’t recall where or when (possibly as I was intoxicated).

Despite the above, I’m feeling… well… confused.

Yours in wonder,

Simon

By Simon on 02 Mar 2008 at 10:07 am

I reckon b)

By fraser on 02 Mar 2008 at 10:52 am

Korean voices sound French, after all. Well I never.
Mazzy Red Star.

By Mr Luke on 02 Mar 2008 at 5:39 pm

I see what you mean about the Sweet Jane feeling. Dang, now I’ve got to go and listen to the first Cowboy Junkies album again.

What a lovely track.

By Mike on 03 Mar 2008 at 10:33 am

Your data never stops buffering, man.
But I enjoy the silence.

By Sigg3 on 06 Mar 2008 at 11:36 am

It sounds like something from the last few frames of a of ‘chop socky’ version of El Topo – marvellous. Where can I get the album?

By planet mondo on 06 Mar 2008 at 11:40 pm

I got mine mail-order, from Other Music in New York.

By fraser on 06 Mar 2008 at 11:45 pm

I adore that! The whole “24-carat-blah-blah-magnificent” was right on target.

Do you have any idea what she’s singing about? Not that it matters. I just wondered.

By Shannon on 08 Mar 2008 at 5:02 pm

When does it stop buffering and start playing?

By Memlock on 17 Mar 2008 at 5:35 am

Ahem, ok it started playing now. Very nice tune. Wish understood the language

By Memlock on 17 Mar 2008 at 5:41 am

Nope – mine still buffering (and has been for a week now . . .)

By Hamish on 18 Mar 2008 at 10:04 am

Sir,

possibly THE BEST site on Teh Luvverly Interwebs for this kinda thang is
http://progressive.homestead.com

The korean page is here:
http://progressive.homestead.com/KOREAentry.html

and this is just fascinating!
http://progressive.homestead.com/KOREA4.html

There’s PLENNY o’ music there too!

Blessings,

Le Rev Dr

By Le Rev Dr on 19 Mar 2008 at 4:54 am

Thanks, great links! It’s a shame a lot of the audio files don’t work, but otherwise this is really interesting. God bless the Internet, etc.

By fraser on 19 Mar 2008 at 8:27 am

[...] an album by Shin Jung Hyeon yesterday and it’s really good. I also want to listen to more Kim Jung Mi. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this stuff before. Don’t get me wrong, I [...]

By Saturday, 5/24: a laundry list of my obsessions « Intrepid Girl Reporter on 24 May 2008 at 4:27 pm

I live in South Korea and really want to buy this singer’s CDs. I searched online in Korean and came up empty. Can anyone tell me how to buy this CD and others? It wouldn’t be available in the ‘States would it?

By JejuD on 25 May 2008 at 11:49 pm

Yes, it would. Try Other Music.

By fraser on 26 May 2008 at 5:01 pm

Was reminded of this post when I just stumbled into this from the guitarist on this track

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTkzO0fGZsI

By Graham on 29 May 2008 at 1:19 pm

That’s great. Thanks Graham. I’d love a box-set that compiles all this stuff.

By fraser on 29 May 2008 at 1:23 pm

I just recently discovered Kim Jung Mi. I can’t believe I haven never heard of her before fatefully purchasing her album at Other Music (nyc).

anyway,just in case anyone is still curious, she is singing about the sun.

here’s a rough/simplified translation:

“I can feel warm sun,
We are going to the land of the sun,
To the high mountain top.
We are living together with the warm sun.
The birds are all singing for me,
In the land of the sun.
How great it is to live with the sun.
I am going to meet the sun,
Lets all go to meet the sun.
We all look at the sun, and ask…”

There is more but that’s about all I can make out right now. I hope that helps!

By nancy on 31 Jul 2008 at 4:51 am

I have been fixing song names on my audio player because it reads their name in different symbols. Anyway, there was this song that I could’nt turn off and instead I listened to it for the whole day. I just got into South America and was walking around Bogota with The Sun playing over and over again. That was my first time hearing the song and I couldnt change it.

By ap on 01 Oct 2008 at 7:49 am

I stumbled on your blog after reading about Kim Jung Mi a little bit and watching this awesome performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYto3p4sKdo. I ordered Now and her self titled album off ebay. Great music and thanks for putting up the great track.

By Visitor on 20 Oct 2008 at 9:23 am

I lived in Korea 1975-1976 and this track really brings back memories of a special time.

By David on 30 Dec 2008 at 9:04 pm

hi,

The “Now” LP by Kim Jung Mi is one of the most beautiful albums I have ever heard and my 2nd favourite Korean LP. I have started a blog about Korean Rock, folk and psyche music if you are interested. Some great music was made there in the early 70′s.

rockkorea.blogspot.com

By John on 26 Jun 2009 at 2:35 am

i actually have the album “Now”, but on my copy this same track is listed as “Toward The Sunlight”

anyways wicked stuff !!!

By channi on 01 Dec 2009 at 3:34 am

Anyone into this kind of music is welcome to join our new discussion group. Talk and trade with other lovers of Korean Classic Rock.
http://rockkorea.proboards.com/

By johnnyrock on 26 Feb 2010 at 12:59 am

I LOVE IT!!!

By elgringorumbero on 14 Apr 2010 at 6:51 pm